In the 1870s New York high society, lawyer Newland Archer has just gotten engaged to innocent society maiden May Welland. With May's appreciation, how Newland decides to handle the announcement is in large part to shield May's cousin, the Countess Olenska - Ellen - from gossip in the engagement overshadowing her issues, Ellen who has just returned to New York from having lived in Europe in her marriage and that gossip stemming not only from her estrangement from the Count and what looks to be their imminent divorce but her seeming unawareness of the scandal such would bring to the family. As such, Ellen is already largely dismissed by the New York society crowd, except by the most disreputable within it. With Ellen planning on moving back to New York permanently regardless of what happens to her marriage, Newland continues to shield Ellen from the scandal, both in an official and unofficial capacity, not only in loyalty to May and her family, but in his growing love for Ellen himself. While May can sense Newland being distracted and suspects he is in love with someone else which he denies, she is unaware of the true nature of Newland's distraction and feelings for Ellen. With Ellen ultimately returning his affections, Newland has to decide if his love for her is worth the risk to his own social standing, regardless of if she does divorce, each of divorce or staying married having its own issues.